Mary McKinley Daves Ellis

Mary McKinley Daves Ellis
First Lady of North Carolina
In office January 1, 1859 – July 7, 1861
Governor	John Willis Ellis
Preceded by	Isabell Cathbert Bragg
Succeeded by	Mary Weeks Parker Hargrave Clark
Personal details
Born	Mary McKinley Daves (1835-01-02)January 2, 1835 New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	January 23, 1916(1916-01-23) (aged 81) Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Spouse	John Willis Ellis (m. 1958)
Children	2

Mary McKinley Daves Ellis (January 2, 1835 – January 23, 1916) was an American political hostess who, as the wife of Governor John Willis Ellis, served as First Lady of North Carolina from 1859 to 1861. She was first lady when North Carolina succeeded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

Biography

Ellis was born Mary McKinley Daves on 2 January 1835 in New Bern, North Carolina to John P. Daves and Elizabeth Batchelor Graham.[1] [2]

On 11 August 1858, she married the widower John Willis Ellis, who six days earlier was elected governor of North Carolina.[3][4] They had at least two daughters, Mary Daves and Jean Graham.[3][4] Ellis served as the First Lady of North Carolina during her husband's term as governor, from 1859 to 1861.[5] During the American Civil War, within her husband's term, North Carolina succeeded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America.[3] Her husband died in office.[3]

She died on January 23, 1916 in Pensacola, Florida.

References

1. "THE NEW BERN MIRROR, NEW BERN, N. C." (PDF). newspapers.digitalnc.org. 1964-02-22.
2. "Governor of the State of North Carolina - John Willis Ellis". www.carolana.com.
3. "GOVERNOR JOHN W. ELLIS, n.d., 1859-1861". archives.ncdcr.gov.
4. "John Willis Ellis, 23 Nov. 1820-7 July 1861". docsouth.unc.edu.
5. Ham, Marie Sharpe; Blake, Debra A.; Morris, C. Edwards (2000). North Carolina's First Ladies 1891-2001, Who Have Resided in the Executive Mansion At 200 North Blount Street. Raleigh, North Carolina: The North Carolina Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee and the North Carolina Executive Mansion Fund, Inc. p. 101. ISBN 0-86526-294-2.